Portage Ceramic Awards 30 September 2004 Exotic, delicate and dramatic works are arriving at Lopdell House Gallery as it gears up for the fourth Portage Ceramics Awards.

The event, New Zealand's largest ceramics award, offers ceramic artists throughout the country a showcase for their work and the chance to win one of four prizes, including the Premier Award of $10,000. Portage Ceramic Awards 30 September 2004 Exotic, delicate and dramatic works are arriving at Lopdell House Gallery as it gears up for the fourth Portage Ceramics Awards.

The event, New Zealand's largest ceramics award, offers ceramic artists throughout the country a showcase for their work and the chance to win one of four prizes, including the Premier Award of $10,000.The award is open to artists of all backgrounds and levels of accomplishment,and is held to promote and encourage ceramic arts in New Zealand. This year, 39 works from 33 artists have been selected from more than 100 entries. Judging the event is Australian ceramic artist and university lecturer Patsy Hely. Hely is based at the ANU School of Art,and her works are represented in public and private collections throughout Australia,including the Australian National Gallery and the Powerhouse Museum.

The winners will be announced at a gala evening on Thursday 14 October,and an exhibition of the finalists' works will run at Lopdell House Gallery from October 15 -

December 5. The exhibition will also be available online at www.lopdell.org.nz.

Key Dates: Saturday 9 October,2pm Judge Patsy Hely presents a slide lecture of her own work, Lopdell House Gallery Seminar Room.

Monday 11 - Wednesday Judge Patsy Hely available for media interviews.

13 October Thursday 14 October,

8pm Announcement of the winners at the Portage Ceramic Awards Gala,Lopdell House Gallery,invitation only.

Friday 15 October,10am Artists' Talk by Portage Ceramics Award winners,Lopdell House Gallery.

Friday 15 October - Portage Ceramics Awards Exhibition, Lopdell House Gallery.

Saturday 5 December Background West Auckland's first kiln was built in 1852,on the banks of the Whau River, by Dr Daniel Pollen. Pollen recognized the quality of the rich clay soils of the Rosebank Peninsula,and brought skilled brick and pottery workers from Staffordshire, England, to develop his business.

More than a century later, in 1973, 600 people were employed by Crown Lynn,making ceramic ware predominantly for the domestic market,with some exports to Australia and India. Throughout the 20th century,West Auckland has also been a hub for studio potters.

The Portage Ceramics Awards acknowledge West Auckland's heritage,and offer a platform for new works by contemporary artists. The awards were first held in 2001,and have since become a key feature in Lopdell House Gallery's calendar,and a major event for the New Zealand ceramic arts community. Each year,the awards are judged by an international ceramics artist. Previous judges were Japanese artist Mitsuo Shoji,and Australian artists and academics Michael Keighery and Julie Bartholomew. Four awards are offered,the Premier Award ($10,000);the Merit Award ($3000),the Emergent Artist Award ($2000),and the Waitakere Artist Award ($1000).Previous Premier Award winners have been Tony Bond,2001; Richard Parker,2002;and Penny Ericson,2003. The Portage Ceramics Awards are part of the Auckland-wide 2004 Season of Ceramics, an 11-week programme of exhibitions, lectures, demonstrations and workshops.

As well as providing a platform for New Zealand's leading ceramic artists to show their work, the Corner Titirangi and South Titirangi Roads, Auckland, 09-817-8087,

www.lopdell.org.nz
season also includes children's and adults' workshops,and a forum on the state of ceramic arts in New Zealand. The awards are sponsored by the Portage Trust,which supports community groups,events and schools in West Auckland. In the past two years,the trust has made grants of more than $6 million each year.